


Power with a price

by EaSnowPw



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Crying, M/M, Panic Attacks, Sick Character, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-04 18:20:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20475473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EaSnowPw/pseuds/EaSnowPw
Summary: Power always comes with a price. Physical or psychological, the higher the power, the higher the price.





	Power with a price

His stomach twisted, demanding to be empty. Again. Again. He was kneeling next to the toilet bowl, dry heaving even as his abdomen ached from the effort. He'd thrown up everything a while ago, but he couldn't seem to settle down. Tears were clouding his vision at this point, hands weakly clinging to the toilet bowl as he tried not to soil his clothes. He was sweating, shivering even as his body was running out of strength to hold himself upright.  
  
"Stephen? You alright in there?"  
  
Oh, how he would've loved to yell back that he was fine, that Tony was worrying too much as always, that nothing was wrong. But that would be too much for him at this point. He wasn't even sure if he could talk, throat too sore after all the abuse from the previous hour.  
  
"You've been in there for two hours, Potter. You fell asleep?" his lover asked, the tease coming with a carefully hidden layer of worry.  
  
2 hours, fine. Stephen lurched again, whimpering as his body rebelled against him. His arms wrapped tight around his middle, desperately trying to stop the cramps.   
  
"Ok, you can yell at me later, but I'm coming in."  
  
The door opened just as Stephen whimpered again. Tony immediately rushed to his side.  
  
"Oh, my God! Babe, you've been here this whole time?" The sorcerer nodded weakly. "Do you need anything? Water? What am I doing, of course yes to water." He returned almost instantly, but set the glass on the sink and started rubbing his lover's back. "Can you talk?"  
  
"Not really," the sorcerer whispered. His voice was hoarse, wrecked. Tony's heart broke.  
  
"Ok then, no talking. This is because you used that epic spell of death earlier today, right? I'm sorry, babe." Stephen shook his head, whimpering when it gave him a headache. "Hey, don't push yourself. I'm here to help, not hurt you further."  
  
Tony stayed with him while he kept dry-heaving, until his stomach settled down and he could drink some water. Stephen fell onto his boyfriend, exhausted and in pain. His brimming headache had grown into a veritable migraine. The shorter man cuddled him, trying to push his worry aside and focus on helping his lover.  
  
This wasn't a common occurrence, only when Stephen used a strong spell in battle. Power had a price, they both knew it, but Stephen's was more physical. Tony stuck by his side, looking after him in the way he could, alleviating symptoms or just keeping him company through his misery.  
  
"Tony..."  
  
"Don't push yourself, love." The engineer rubbed his lover's back soothingly and kissed his forehead. He wasn't sweating or shaking anymore and the wetness on his body had grown cold. "Think you're ready to return to bed?"  
  
"Can't walk."  
  
"Not a problem. Come here, sweetheart." Tony, despite being shorter, was physically stronger than his twig of a lover, so he easily scoped him up and carried him to bed. He gently set him down and tucked him in, then settled down next to him.  
  
"Love you," Stephen muttered, warm and safe. He sighed in pleasure when he felt familiar hands rubbing at his scalp. A kiss was pressed to his forehead.  
  
"Love you too, Gandalf the White."

* * *

"Tony? Hey, I told you not to sleep in the workshop, you're not 20 anymore."  
  
Silence and darkness. That didn't bide well.  
  
"Tony?" he called again, softer. Still no answer. "Friday, start slowly restoring the lights. Where is he?"  
  
"Under the work table, doctor."  
  
"Thank you. Tony?" He knelt down in front of his lover, who was shaking, hiding his face in his knees, which were hugged to his chest. "Friday, how long?"  
  
"27 minutes."  
  
"Damn. Love-"  
  
"Leave," his lover croaked.  
  
"Never," he swore. "Remember a few days ago, when you took care of me after that nightmare?" Stephen paused for effect. "Let me do that for you."  
  
Tony sniffed once, then grabbed the sorcerer's arm in an iron grip and pulled him under the bench. Stephen went easily and accepted the armfull of engineer.  
  
"Thanos," Tony whispered. "I know he can come back. He'll always be out there. I know what we can do with those stones, perhaps he's just waiting for me to grow old and he's going tocomebackandgethisrevengeANDIWONTBEENOUGHTOSTOPHIMTHISTIME!" he rambled. "I'll fail and it will all be my fault!" He met his boyfriend's eyes, terrified.  
  
Stephen kissed him. It was the only way he could stop that brilliant mind, if only for a moment.  
  
Tony then fell into his arms, crying. The sorcerer held him, trying to offer comfort. He could try to deny everything, as he had on other occasions, but Tony never seemed to hear him. He just felt. And Stephen would rather he felt loved and safe.  
  
Later, after Tony had exhausted his tears, Stephen shifted a bit. One of his legs was numb.  
  
"I love you," Tony told him.  
  
The sorcerer sighed in relief. His lover was back to him. Stephen squeezed him in his arms.  
  
"I love you too. Do you want coffee?"  
  
Tony chuckled weakly.  
  
"I accept your bribery. But later. Just stay like this... or let's move to the couch."  
  
Stephen stumbled up and they managed to change their cuddling spot.  
  
It would be fine, eventually.


End file.
